Will They or Won't They Couples

cherrystark 2020-12-02 23:05:35 UTC #1

Due to how the plot is developing, I have to separate my main couple. I do plan on getting them back together at some point but they need some personal growth.

What are your opinions of "will they or won't they couples"? I will also include "on-again/off-again" couples in this. These types of couples are popular for driving a plot forward and increasing the tension. How do you decide to make your main couple a will they/won't they? What makes you separate them? Are they the endgame?

If done right, I think they can work if done right. Some couples like Ted/Robin, Ross/Rachel are problematic and most people agree they are better off as friends. If you do break up a couple, what drives you to bring them back together? I've seen some will they/won't they couples that are far better off with different partners but they're brought back to the unhealthy one.

Legendofgenii 2020-12-02 23:23:21 UTC #2

Oh I love it! I love the drama and the suspense (both of those mentioned) and then cheer if/when they get together.

I’m keeping mine apart because I’m cruel.

They are teenagers (so I want them to be older when it happens), it’s endgame and there’s just going to be a lot going on getting in the way.

therosesword 2020-12-02 23:27:52 UTC #3

You know me, I just throw them to the wolves and see what happens.

Van 2020-12-02 23:29:54 UTC #4

Hmm, it depends I think
like, if it's been 100 chapters and there were so many possible "will they" fakeouts then it just gets annoying
but if it's handled well I think it can be pretty exciting

nostalgicroxas 2020-12-02 23:30:39 UTC #5

#1 Morals.

Do they see eye to eye on everything?

Once they start turning out to be "the same character with just a different name and different tones", they're no longer foils of each other and a balancing act.

I have that with my main couple and secondary couple. The uh, tertiary??, couple is one that sees more eye to eye in the morals department and have other issues to sort out that do kind of fall into a moral grey area.

thedude3445 2020-12-02 23:38:09 UTC #6

If the story is primarily another genre I sometimes really dig a good will-they-or-won't-they tension. If the story is primarily romance, I loathe it. Just let them be together for more than the last two chapters of the book!

I dislike on-again-off-again couples generally in most stories because it feels like an overdramatic soap opera, but couples who break up can probably get back together and come off well. It just takes... well, the same kind of healing as in real life. The characters break up due to some problem they can't solve, but once they've both solved it and grown independently, maybe they can get back together. If not, they should remain friends (or unhappy with each other and a bit heartbroken but you know how these things go).

imagineemmajun 2020-12-02 23:48:37 UTC #7

Plot. If they get separated it's a plot reason, not because I want them separated for tension.

carafox2121 2020-12-02 23:56:15 UTC #8

I definitely agree with @imagineemmajun. Plot would probably be my main reason to separate or bring a couple together. If, in the end, you want them together you can plan it accordingly and in a way that seems organic to your storytelling. As for the will they/won't they couples. I don't mind it at all. I love the tension. (K-dramas are famous for this, and I love it every time. ) But I will admit that if it doesn't do anything for the plot of the story, it can be a little tiring.

vothnthorvaldson 2020-12-02 23:57:40 UTC #9

To work, for me, it needs 3 main things:
- Only one separation. If it goes yes no no yes all the time, nope. First because I won't believe in the possibility of a good relationship, second because it may very easily get boring plot wise.
- A reasonable amount of issues to fix. If we start with 2 completely incompatible persons, there is no chance it will ever work in a way that is acceptable for both partners, or even believable for the reader.
- A will to work on dealing with the problem, or a foreseeable "automatic fix" (by that I mean, for eg.if there is a discrepancy between the partners' needs and aspirations because one works and the other is still a student, for eg., this will naturally resolve itself with time (eventually. ahem ).

domisotto 2020-12-03 00:03:49 UTC #10

I never thought Ross/Rachel were bad for one another. They just went through a long trajectory and tbh, I just got annoyed the last couple of times they broke up.

For me, the best will/won’t couple was Mal and Inara in Serenity.

In my current book, I didn’t decide that Volya/Liam will end up together till the end, particularly when I took it out of BL section. Romance requires a happy ending, and I wasn’t sure I wanted it.

But, in the end, I feel like in a story with a lot of focus on romance, getting together makes a better ending.

imagineemmajun 2020-12-03 00:04:15 UTC #11

K_Drama is a good example. They follow a different formula to the west. They often have the characters get together straight away and then something happens that separates them (death, time travel, hit by car - someone gets hit by a car in every drama - memory loss, etc.)

carafox2121 2020-12-03 00:06:28 UTC #12

Exactly. Most of their couples are intentionally or "unintentionally" finding their way to each other, but in a way that moves the plot/sub-plots along.

cherrystark 2020-12-03 00:39:46 UTC #13

I also like good tension in stories if it works for the plot. Plot is the main reason, I'm separating my main couple for the sake of drama.

I love Mal and Inara in Serenity! I'm glad they let Simon and Kaylee have their moment in the movie.

arbiterswake 2020-12-03 00:51:42 UTC #14

I'm struggling with this myself because the characters that Will/Won't have to go through some pretty intensive character growth for the "Will" part to happen, and there are plenty of obstacles thrown at them that makes the "Won't" part easy to justify.

cherrystark 2020-12-03 00:57:22 UTC #15

That can be a challenge for sure. Are you leaning one way more than the other?

arbiterswake 2020-12-03 01:02:10 UTC #16

I'm leaning more toward the will but there are some challenges.

The female character is essentially "terminally ill" and not very attractive, while the male is very arrogant and self serving at first, not giving her a second thought. There's also racial differences that sets them apart.

Of course as the story progresses so does their perspectives of each other and they change as people as well.

cherrystark 2020-12-03 01:19:42 UTC #17

You could definitely do a "happy for now" type ending. If your female character is basically terminally ill, she could have a passion project, maybe the male character takes on if or when she passes a way?

arbiterswake 2020-12-03 01:42:30 UTC #18

Oh I stated that she was "terminally ill" because she has a spell that's been placed on her that has been draining her life away as she's aged, so she's pretty much slow dying until said curse is lifted. ( If it is lifted...No spoilers here.)

GoldenHoneydew 2020-12-04 22:15:00 UTC #19

I personally love it when it's done right however i rarely come across any comics that actually manage to do it right. most of the time they either completely over do it or just add it for a filler so whenever the story seems to be reaching a point where nothing is happening boom they're breaking up over something stupid, or, bam they're back together after kissing in the rain.

cherrystark 2020-12-04 22:34:27 UTC #20

I know what you mean!!! Unless I'm in the mood for a cheesy romantic comedy where this type of thing works, I always feel like when couples do this in stories.